The Economic Impact of the Social Legislation of the 1960's on Blacks in the Labor Market. Paper Series No. 5202.

Bell, Duran

Given the general social thrust toward progress in the 1960's, it is proposed here that the points in the system where black economic progress took place were those points where white resistance was less. Current data indicates the achievement of significant progress by black women--relative to white women and black men--in all regions of the country, significant progress of black men in the South, but astonishingly little relative economic progress of black men in the non-southern states. The progress of black males in the South and the lack thereof in the non-south is a phenomenon for which one explanation is offered here. Arguments regarding the value of full employment in augmenting the black-white earnings ratio, and in facilitating the development of programs for the disadvantaged, appear to be correct. However, the active pursuance of full employment as a policy has not been greatly evident, except as an artifact of military activity. Moreover, it seems unlikely that any of the special programs initiated during the 1960's were very significant in improving the earnings ratios for women and southern men, even given the favorable economic environment. On the other hand, civil rights pressures presumably had a direct impact upon discriminatory activity, without the mediating activity of specific governmental agencies. (Author/JM)